Letting Go Part 1

Tell Us Something

Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Letting Go”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of over 900 listeners on September 27, 2022 at The Dennison in Missoula, MT.

Our first story comes to us from Susan Shenker. A chance meeting with a stranger in a car wash waiting room leads to a (consensual) ogling of breasts, a feeling up, and much-needed information for Susan on her journey of deciding about breast reconstruction after surviving breast cancer. Susan calls her story “Deconstruction.”

Susan Shenker is originally from Houston and is a retired educator. She and her husband Mark, have three adult children, one grandson, and one very spoiled puppy. Now living happily ever after in Missoula, Susan enjoys hiking, trail running, yoga, and (surprisingly) long winter evenings.

Our next storyteller is Margi Cates. Margi, in her own words, tells us that her story is “…about the transition between burning with ambition and discovering that the thing you needed has always been inside you. No flames required. Maybe some tears?”

Margi calls her story, “The Body Keeps the Score, and Boy, is She Pissed!”

Missoula born and raised, Margi Cates is a singer, writer and comedian. She has appeared on stages all over Missoula as well as in New Orleans, where she lived and worked for five years. You can find her riding her bike around town, practicing Whitney Houston riffs.

Find Margi on Instagram.

You can also see her on the YouTubes.

In our next story, Michael LaPointe lets go of his daughter’s bike when he’s teaching her to ride. He figures out that this is a metaphor for allowing his daughter Penny to grow up and become her own individual person. He in turn, begins letting go of his ego and embracing his daughter’s humanity in a new light with a story that he calls “I *GOT* This, Dad!”

Michael LaPointe is a regular guy trying to make it in an increasingly complicated world. He finds himself at 40 with dogs, kids, a wife, and a mortgage, not exactly sure how he arrived here or where he’s going next. He believes that wherever you go, whatever you do, whenever you leave, leave it better than you found it.

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, is Hazel Wright. Along with her brother, Hazel builds an awesome sledding jump and proceeds to unintentionally flip a 180 after landing, leading to a confused recovery. Hazel calls her story, “Sledding Catastrophe”.

Hazel is a twelve year old who lives in Missoula. She has a younger brother and a dog. She enjoys mountain biking, skateboarding and playing ice hockey. She is attending Washington Middle School as a seventh grader. In her free time she is curled up with a good book, or watching Grey’s Anatomy with her mom. (with permission) Hazel on IG.